d

2. Also thou wilt think no labour or suffering too great to obtain it; and though the flesh may sometimes shrink, or draw back, yet art thou resolved and content to go through all.e (Matt. vii. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 5, 12; Rom. viii. 17; Luke iv. 24, xiv, 26, 27.)

3. Also, if thou be an heir of rest, thy valuation of it will be so high, and thy affection to it so great, that thou wouldst not exchange thy title to it, and hopes of it, for any worldly good whatsoever. Indeed, when the soul is in doubts of enjoying it, perhaps it may possibly desire rather the continuance of an earthly happiness, than to depart out of the body with fears of going to hell. But if he were sure that heaven should be his own, he would desire to depart, and to be with Christ, as being the best state of all. And if God would set before him an eternity of earthly pleasure and contents on one hand, and the rest of the saints on the other hand, and bid him take his choice, he would refuse the world, and choose this rest.

Rom. viii. 23; 2 Cor. v. 2, 3; Phil. iii. 20.)

(Psal. xvi. 9, 10; Thus, if thou be

a Christian indeed, thou takest God for thy chiefest good, and this rest for the most amiable and desirable state and by the foresaid means thou mayst discover it.

But if thou be yet in the flesh, and an unsanctified wretch, then is it clean contrary with thee in all these respects. Then dost thou in thy heart prefer thy worldly happiness and fleshly delights before God; and though thy tongue may say that God is the chief good, yet thy heart doth not so esteem him. For,

d We renounced the world when we were baptised (in covenant and promise). But now we truly renounce the world (in practice and performance of the covenant) when being tried and proved by God, forsaking all that we have, we follow the Lord, and do stand fast and live in his belief and fear.— Cypr. Epist. 7. ad Rogat. p. 20.

e The preferring God before all, and forsaking all in heart and resolution for him, is essential to our Christianity, and no man can be saved without it; and therefore it was ever solemnly professed and promised in baptism in the primitive church, as you may see in Cypr. Ep. 7. et 54; et lib. de Hab. Virg. Const. Apost. Clem. lib. iv. c. 4. Tertul. de Coron. Milit.: Aquam adituri, ibidem, sed et aliquanto prius in ecclesia, sub antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare diabolo et pompæ et angelis ejus. Ita in lib. de Spectac.: Ex hoc causatur quæcunque pigritia vel delectatio creaturæ rationalis indebita ; quia si haberet amorem in Deum satis intensum, torporem illum excuteret, et perfectè amando Deum, sibi debite deserviret. Et cum peccatum quodcunque causatur in tepeditate dilectionis, patet quod incuria, h. e. parvi-pensio, vel non-curatio legis Dei, et peccatum quodcunque actuale, ad illam consequitur. Ubi quæso est major ingratitudo quam amorem terminare finaliter in creatura abjecta, et Deum quem debemus maxime omnes diligere, non diligere?-Wickliffe Trialog. lib. ii. c. 16. f. 71.

1. The world is the chief end of thy desires and endeavours; thy very heart is set upon it; thy greatest care and labour is to maintain thy estate, or credit, or fleshly delights, but the life to come hath little of thy care or labour. Thou didst never perceive so much excellency in that unseen glory of another world, as to draw thy heart so after it, or set thee a labouring so heartily for it but that little pains which thou bestowest that way, it is but in the second place, and not the first. God hath but the world's leavings, and that time and labour which thou canst spare from the world, or those few cold and careless thoughts which follow thy constant, earnest, and delightful thoughts of earthly things. Neither wouldest thou do any thing at all for heaven, if thou knewest how to keep the world: but lest thou shouldest be turned into hell, when thou canst keep the world no longer, therefore thou wilt do something.

2. Therefore it is that thou thinkest the way of God too strict, and wilt not be persuaded to the constant labour of conscionable walking according to the Gospel rule: and when it comes to trial, that thou must forsake Christ or thy worldly happiness, and the wind which was in thy back doth turn in thy face, then thou wilt venture heaven rather than earth, and, as desperate rebels used to say, thou wilt rather trust God's mercy for thy soul, than man's for thy body, and so wilfully deny thy obedience to God.

3. And certainly if God would but give thee leave to live in health and wealth for ever on earth, thou wouldst think it a better state than rest. Let them seek for heaven that would, thou wouldst think this thy chiefest happiness. This is thy case if thou be yet an unregenerate person, and hast no title to the saint's rest.

Sect. IV. The second mark which I shall give thee, to try whether thou be an heir of rest, is this: as thou takest God for

f In one word, the sum of all is this, if he do embrace Christ (and God in Christ) as Christ is offered him in the Gospel, and resigns himself to the regiment and government of Christ, and doth so esteem and prize him, that he counts all things as dung and dross in comparison of him, and can forsake father and mother, and. all, to follow him; and can take up his cross, and undergo any affliction that shall be laid on him, rather than forsake and part with Christ; they that have thus brought him in their heart (to contract it in one word) to resign themselves to the government of the law of God, and set. themselves in every thing to walk with him, and to approve themselves to him, have evidence that God hath brought them into covenant.-D. Stoughton's Right-Man's Plea, serm. v. p. 14.

8 Ut homines filii Dei fiant, filium Dei unicum per fidem recipiunt ; et ipso

thy chief good, so thou dost heartily accept of Christ for thy only Saviour and Lord to bring thee to this rest. The former mark was the sum of the first and great command of the law of nature, "Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart," or above all. This second mark is the sum of the command or condition of the Gospel, which saith, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved." And the performance of these two is the whole sum or essence of godliness and Christianity. Observe, therefore, the parts of this mark, which is but a definition of faith.

1. Dost thou find that thou art naturally a lost, condemned man for thy breach of the first covenant? And dost believe that Jesus Christ is the mediator, who hath made a sufficient satisfaction to the law; and hearing in the Gospel that he is offered without exception unto all, dost heartily consent that he alone shall be thy Saviour; and dost no further trust to thy duties and works, than as conditions required by him, and means appointed in subordination to him, not looking at them as in the least measure able to satisfy the course of the law, or as a legal righteousness, nor any part of it, but art content to trust thy salvation on the redemption made by Christ?

2. Art thou also content to take him for thy only Lord and King, to govern and guide thee by his laws and Spirit? And to obey him even when he commandeth the hardest duties, and those which most cross the desires of the flesh?

Is it thy sorrow when thou breakest thy resolution herein; and thy joy when thou keepest closest in obedience to him? And though the world and flesh do sometimes entice and overreach thee, yet is it thy ordinary desire and resolution to obey, so that thou wouldst not change thy Lord and Master for all the world? Thus it is with every true Christian. But if thou be an hypocrite, it is far otherwise. Thou mayest call Christ thy Lord and thy Saviour, but thou never foundest thyself so lost without him, as to drive thee to seek him, and trust him, and lay thy salvation on him alone. Or, at least, thou didst never heartily consent that he should govern thee as thy Lord; nor didst resign up donante, hanc accipiunt à Domino potestatem, ut et in eum credant, et ad numerum filiorum Dei pertineant.-Fulgent. lib. de Incar. et Grut. c. 26. Quid enim eramus quando Christum nondum elegeramus? Et ideo non diligebamus; nam qui eum non elegit, quomodo diligit ?—Aug. Tract. 86. in Johan. h Christ, in the latter days, shall be fully honoured in his kingly power. Hitherto Christ hath been much honoured in his prophetical and priestly office, but not so much in his kingly, &c.-Burroughs on Hos. p. 131.

i Est enim fœderis obligatio mutua. Sed principium est à Deo,-Para, in

thy soul and life to be ruled by him; nor take his word for the law of thy thoughts and actions. It is like thou art content to be saved from hell by Christ when thou diest, but, in the mean time, he shall command thee no further than will stand with thy credit, or pleasure, or worldly estate and ends. And if he would give thee leave, thou hadst far rather live after the world and flesh, than after the word and Spirit. And though thou mayest now and then have a motion or purpose to the contrary, yet this that I have mentioned is the ordinary desire and choice of thy heart: and so thou art no true believer in Christ, for though thou confess him in words, yet in works thou dost deny him, being disobedient, and to every good work a disapprover and reprobate. (Tit. i. 17.) This is the case of those that shall be shut out of the saint's rest.

But especially I would here have you observe, that it is in all this the consent of your hearts, or wills, which I lay down in this mark to be inquired after; for that is the most essential act of justifying faith: therefore, I do not ask whether thou be assured of salvation; nor yet whether thou canst believe that thy sins are pardoned, and that thou art beloved of God in Christ. These are no parts of justifying faith, but excellent fruits and consequents, which they that do receive are comforted by them; but perhaps thou mayst never receive them while thou livest, and yet be a true heir of rest. Do not say, then, 'I cannot believe that my sin is pardoned, or that I am in God's favour, and therefore I am no true believer.' This is a most mistaking conclusion: the question is, whether thou canst heartily accept of Christ, that thou mayst be pardoned; reconciled to God, and so saved? Dost thou consent that he shall be thy Lord, who hath bought thee, and take his own course to bring thee to heaven? This is justifying, saving faith; and this is the mark that thou must try thyself by: yet, still observe, that all this Gen. vi. 18. p. (mihi) 735. Sed integrum fœdus tum demum à Deo fuit constitutum quum utrinque intercessit sponsio inter partes contrahentes.-Jun. Orat. de Promis. et Fædere.

* Itaque velle credere est credere: non quia credere sit actus imperatus, sed quia in voluntate est; ut scribit Augustinus ad Marcei. de spirit. et liter. Etiam velle resipiscere est resipiscentiam agere: fundatur enim resipiscentia in ipsius voluntatis immutatione, quæ a malo convertitur ad bonum.-D. Twiss Tileno contr. Corvinum, p. 355. a. Vide nunc utrum quisque credat si noluerit, aut non credat si voluerit? quod absurdum est: quid est enim credere nisi consentire verum esse quod dicitur? Consensio autem utique volentis est, profecto fides in voluntate est.-Aug. Retract. lib. i. c. 31. Fides in potestate est, quoniam cum vult quisque credit, et cum credit volens credit.-Ibid. c. 32.

540

THE SAINT'S EVERLASTING rest.

consent must be hearty and real; not feigned or with reservations. It is not saying, as that dissembling son, Matt. xxi. 30, "I go, sir," when he went not; to say, Christ shall be my Lord,' and yet let corruption ordinarily rule thee, or be unwilling that his commands should encroach upon the interest of the world or flesh. If any have more of the government of thee than Christ,; or if thou hadst rather live after any other laws than his, if it were at thy choice, thou art not his disciple. Thus I have laid you down these two marks, which, I am sure, are such as every Christian hath, and no other but sincere Christians. I will add no more, seeing the substance of Christianity is contained in these. Oh that the Lord would now persuade thee to the close performance of this self-trying task! that thou mayst not tremble with horror of soul, when the Judge of all the world shall try thee, but have thy evidence and assurance so ready at hand, and be so able to prove thy title to rest, that the thoughts and approaching of death and judgment may revive thy spirits, and fill thee with joy; and not appal thee, and fill thee with amazement !

Hereby you may know whether your conversion be right, yea or no : as that which is Christ's cometh to be thine, so that which is thine cometh again to be Christ's: "My beloved is mine, and I am his."-Burroughs on Hos. lect. 17, p. 601. Ut eligatur gratia, ipsa prius eligit; neque suscipitur aut diligitur, nisi hoc ipsa in corde hominis operetur. Istam gratiam nullus hominum desiderare vel poscere, sed nec cognoscere poterit, nisi eam prius ab illo accipiat, qui eam nullis præcedentibus operibus bonis largitur, &c.-Fulgen. de Verit. Prædest. c. 15, 16. Even the Jesuits confess that it is ex Christi gratia non solum esse sanum, sed et sanari velle, et precari ut credere velimus et purgari.-Dion. Petavius de Lege et Gratia, lib. ii. c. 3. sect. 1, 2, &c. But they see not that ipsa sanitas consistit maxima ex parte

in ipso velle.

END OF THE TWENTY-SECOND VOLUME.

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